The Fox Fire Ring
by Shadow131
Summary: Sequale to Five Years Running. A mysterious lady is picking off the people of Gotham, one by one. When she nearly gets Terry, things get personal for Emily, and a strange ring might be the only answer. Please R+R! No HUGE flames! Tiny flames ok^^
1. Fresh Formed Tears

The Fox Fire Ring: Chapter 1:Fresh Formed Tears

  
  


A.N: The story really isn't that good, so to all the people who liked the first one, read this anyway. It sets the stage for all the rest of them. And if your wondering how I made these so fast, I had already typed the first two before my dad let me make an account on fanfiction.net

Terry flopped into a chair and sighed. Every bit of him ached, even things he didn't even know existed. It only took one night for him to miss the enormous amount of help his cousin had provided, and that was two weeks ago, but she had to go back to Metropolis sometime......

Terry's cell phone rang and he tossed it to Bruce, who worked on the computer in the cave. 

"Can you hook it up to speaker. I can't move to save my life," said Terry. Bruce did this and Terry said hello.

"Hi Terry....." It was Emily! She sounded upset and scared, a little out of breath....

"Emily? Hi!" he replied. "What's the matter?" Emily was too tiered and upset to play the games of "oh nothings wrong!"

"I know why I was shipped me off to your house for three weeks....."

"I don't like the way that sounds," he replied.

"....Terry, my parents are getting a divorce....."

"Oh wow.....Emily....I'm so sorry....."

"Good news is I made that scholar ship to Gotham U."

"Great! I made it there too.....wait...you said good news. That would imply there's worse to come....."

"Gotham U can't afford dorms Terry....."

"No problem! You can get an apartment."

"Terry, what little money I ever got, I put in a bank and saved. I'm living out of a suit case in a crummy motel room, living on fast food. I can't afford that!"

"Your parents can loan you money....."

"They won't."

"What do you mean they won't! It's the law! Remember! You're their daughter! They have to take care of you!"

"Apparently not...."

"What do you mean?"

"Happy birthday Ter."

"Yeah that was last week, that means your older too. Your.....," then Terry knew exactly what she meant. She was eighteen. Her parents didn't have to support her or anything. They laid it all out for her. "Here's some cash, money for college, and a suitcase. Nice knowing you. Get off my property!" She wasn't a teenager any more.....She was an adult....A dumped one......

"Not so happy for you I'd assume....."

"I wonder how long they planned that....."

"C'mon Em! I'm sure they love you!"

"Yeah right Terry! Get real! These are my parents were talking about! Sure I'd like parents who loved me and supported me, and at least cared! But get real!...."

"Then you have no where to go?" It was Bruce. Terry had completely forgotten he was there and nearly jumped out of his skin hearing him.

"Mr. Wayne? Wait, don't tell me. Speaker phone...."

"Yes," he said. He sighed. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but....You can stay with me...."

"...I ....I can't accept that Mr. Wayne....Really. You've helped me a lot, but....I ....."

"It's a five minute drive from here to the University. You'd be gone most of the day any way, and I've got rooms to spare....But you'd have to earn your keep."

"You mean be batgirl," she said. It wasn't a question. She knew.

"That would be awesome!" said Terry. "Lord knows I need the help!"

"I....I can't do that...."

"What do you mean!" exclaimed Terry.

"It was a summer thing, I did it for three weeks and was done. I wasn't planning on doing this forever, unlike you."

"Sure doesn't sound like the girl that put a gun to my head and made me swear to let her help me." There was a pause. Emily was thinking about it, and she realized she didn't even know why she was refusing....

"Give me one good reason you can't be Batgirl and I'll back off," said Terry. No sound.... "Emily?"

"Terry, I think it's time I don the suit again," she said.

"Excellent!" said Terry, and they arraigned things for the train.

...

  
  


P.O.V

Metropolis

Emily

I couldn't explain to them why I couldn't be batgirl. It was so complicated even I didn't understand it. I guess it was that I went crazy or something. I wanted to make things up to Terry. Not that I thought getting myself killed was the best way of doing it, but I wouldn't have traded that experience for the world.....

And it worked!.... I think.....It was this mutual forgiveness and understanding he and I made....We were cousins again. We never would be best friends.....I wasn't even about to attempt that, but we were friends.....What we used to have was lost forever and there was no getting it back....

Staying in Wayne Manor? Why not! Ok, so I don't know why I said no than yes either. I had to find some place to stay, and he was right when Bruce said the University was close. Maybe I was scared. Getting close to people is hard for me. But now I'd have to lower my defenses and let people trust me and me trust them.....This was going to be hard......

  
  


...

  
  


P.O.V

Gotham City

Terry

It felt wonderful to be home at last. My mind was completely focused on bed. I ached and had bruises everywhere. Then my cell phone rang. I dug it out of my pocket and pretty much growled at it. "Bruce," I thought. "You've got another thing coming if you think I putting on that stupid cowl again!"

"Hi Terry," it was Dana. I would have been relived had her voice not sounded so shaky.

"Dana? What's wrong?" I could hear her sniffing back tears on the phone.

"I'm not staying for the summer....."

"What! You said you were! We were gonna do stuff together!"

"I know, I know.....Something's come up. Can you meet me at the park?"

"Sure Dana! I'm going now!" and suddenly I forgot about all my aches and pains and was out that door faster than light.

I stood under a lamp post at Gotham City Park. The only place in town where trees still stood other than by houses. Dana ran up to me and held me close and drenched my coat with tears.

"Dana what's wrong?" I said.

"My parents and I are going to the Carribean.....for the whole summer......" 

"But your coming back?"

"Two days before school starts."

"Not exactly a lot of time....."

"I'm so sorry Terry! I just found out! We're leaving tomorrow. I guess they wanted to surprise me...."

"Dana?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you, and I'm gonna miss you," I said, and gave her a kiss. She stepped back, eyes tear filled, and said goodbye, then turned and ran back, sobbing. I slumped against the lamp post. Life was becoming very complicated.....Then I heard a woman's voice laughing. She came down the path way. She was wearing all black. Black dress, black pumps, even her hair was black. Had she not annoyed me so much, I might have found her pretty. Instead I glared at her.

"Who are you and what do you want?" I called out.

"Call me Nightshade, and I want to make you happy," she said.

"No thanks. Not interested," I replied.

"Foolish boy! I saw you and your girlfriend. You are sad, but I know how to turn all that around," and she tossed me a vail full of some ink black liquid.

"Drink that, and your luck will change. Everything will go your way. I'm giving it to many people. I want the world to be full of happiness! Go to the docks every night at nine. The people I have chosen will all be there as well. I will give you amulets that will last a day. As long as you come to the docks, you will be happy."

  
  


....

Terry was starting to like the sound of what the lady said. Her voice was deep and soothing and it lulled him into a false reality and thinking. But would the mantel of the Bat dare stand in his way?

"Eerrrr....what if I can't make it to the docks?....Like I forget?"

"Don't worry. All those who trust me I will call to me. Just drink that potion."

The glow of the potion and the sound of her voice had it's effect on Terry. She disappeared and Terry stared at the vial. He suddenly uncorked it and drank it down whole.

"Acck!" shouted Terry. He felt like a dagger had pierced his side. He threw the stuff up and felt a little better, though still sick. He regretted drinking the stuff, but it seemed to have no effect, and didn't for about three days....

...

  
  


"I feel like it's been a year since I last saw Emily," said Terry, as he stood Next to Bruce, looking through a sea of people for his cousin.

"Terry, it's been two weeks," replied Bruce.

"That long?" 

Emily appeared with a suitcase and the same book bag that seemed to never leaver her, along with her necklace. She waved her arms so that Terry and Bruce could see her, and Terry went and got her bags.

"How's Gotham been without my eye on Terry?" she asked smiling, hugging her cousin, and shaking hands with Bruce.

"Could be worse," Bruce replied, smiling. Time seemed to fly by as they drove to Wayne Manor. Catching up on what had been going on, But Terry had still told no one about Nightshade, and the concoction he drank.

"And this is your room," said Bruce as he opened the door. It wasn't huge, but it wasn't small. Cozy. Just perfect for comfort, the way Emily liked things. She bit her lower lip. 

"This is really.....great," she said and wiped away a tear. "I'm...gonna unpack now. I'll be down to get the Batgirl suit on in a minute," she said and closed the door. She looked around the room. It was beautiful, with a wonderful view, but all of a sudden, she flung herself on the bed and cried. For all she knew, she might never see her parents again. Not that they had ever really loved her, but she was being tossed out the door into a brand new life, and even though she hated to admit it, she was scared....

To Be Continued....


	2. Amythist Stones and Fox Fire Rings

The Fox Fire Ring: Chapter 2: Amethyst Stones and Fox Fire Rings

  
  


Emily was about to walk down stairs into the familiar Batcave, when she realized she had no place to safely put her necklace while she roamed the streets of Gotham. She noticed a small night stand with a drawer. "That'll do perfectly," she thought, and took off the gold chain, placing it in it's box, and slid open the drawer. "What's this?" she said as she pulled out what seemed to be an ancient, dust covered book. She blew off the dust and sneezed a little. "Magic Emblems and Spells?" she read off the cover. She put the box inside the drawer but kept the book open. She looked on the inside cover. Gotham City Public Library. "Must have been one of the former Robin's," she thought. She didn't even want to think how much she would have to pay and how long it was over due. No one seemed to be missing it so she flipped through it. Five pages caught her eye, and her pupils widened as she began reading them.

"Emily!" called Terry. "Em?! You coming or what?"

...

  
  


P.O.V

Emily

Gotham City 

I was a bit startled when I heard Terry call my name. "Great," I thought. "Whenever I find something interesting, THEN I gotta put on that stupid mask." I sighed angrily, and tore out the five pages and stuffed them in my book bag.

"Coming!" I called down to Terry. The few words I caught swam in my head. "Power, Fire, Jewel, Stone....." What did it mean? I got a shiver down my spine thinking about it. 

  
  


...

  
  


Emily and Terry did patrol duty as usual, but things were pretty quite. They stopped the Jokerz, a few mugging's and attempted theft, but really, the evening was dull.

"I don't like it," said Terry.

"Yeah, I'm bored out of my skull too," complained Emily.

"That's not what I mean. What I meant was-"

"Look!" interrupted Emily and she pointed out toward the docks. Cars. Flocks of them forming around one part of it.

"Boat party?" asked Emily.

"I doubt it," replied Terry. "Let's go check it out." They raced off toward the docks, seeing at least one hundred people.

"What are they all doing?" asked Emily. Terry's eyes scanned 'round, until he saw Her. Nightshade herself. Thoughts flooded Terry's mind and his heart started racing. Memories mostly....

"One night won't make the difference!"

"One night always makes the difference"

"If that's the way feel, maybe we should just forget about it!"

"Terry, I have forgotten it."

Suddenly Terry felt as if a dagger had wedged it's self between his ribs. He shouted in pain, clutching his side, and collapsed.

"Terry?!" shouted Emily and she ran to his side.

"Nightshade....." he moaned. Emily looked for a wound or something, but seeing nothing, was at a loss at what to do. She grabbed a tranquilizer from her belt and gave Terry a shot of it. She laid him down and went to go take care of Nightshade.

Nightshade looked exactly the way she had when Terry saw her, only now she was wearing a necklace with and Amethyst stone and a copper ring.

She heard Batgirl coming from a mile away, and simply laughed at her. Emily was in a midair kick when she saw her disappear.

"What the?!" Instead of the normal feeling of her foot striking someone square is the chest, she felt her self fall to the ground, skidding and scrapping her leg. "She's gone?" she thought aloud. Suddenly she felt a punch hit her jaw, and something trip her from behind. She fell flat on her face, and could hear Nightshade laughing at her. She turned to see her handing out more purple rocks to people who gathered around her. Emily threw out her fist for a punch, but again hit nothingness. It was as if she melted away. 

This continued for a while. Emily would make a move, Nightshade would disappear, and 

Emily would get hit with the recoil. "How on earth is she doing that?" she silently thought. This time Emily decided to watch her, before punching, and did. As she threw out her arm for a numbing blow, she saw Nightshades necklace glow bright, and the copper ring glowed too. She smiled to herself. Now she at least knew when she would "melt". 

Emily moved her leg to trip Nightshade, but before doing so, grabbed her necklace. This shocked Nightshade, so Batgirl successfully managed to trip her. She tugged at the chain while Nightshade put her whole concentration into slipping away. The copper ring was glowing stronger than ever, and was apparently being over used, because each time Nightshade tried to get away, she would weaken just a little bit more. 

Then Emily grabbed her hand as well, grasping the ring. Nightshade couldn't stand this, and punched Batgirl in the jaw. She released the necklace, but held firmly to the ring, so it slipped off her finger. Nightshade melted away but Emily saw her clearly on top of the building Batman lay on, a dagger in her hands.

Emily sent a batarnag at her, which obviously missed, striking only air, but Nightshade was gone. The people wandered off, and Emily fingered the ring. Something seemed oddly familiar about it. It was a ring of copper, but on it was a tiny picture of a silver fox, and hanging off it was and emblem of a berry. A deadly Nightshade berry, guessed Emily.....

She leapt back onto the building, somehow managing to pick up Terry, and slide him into the Batplane, and take off. 

"Ooohhh Terry," she said. "With all the questions Bruce and I are going to be asking you, you might not even want to wake up...."

  
  


To Be Continued..... 


	3. Memories of the Silver Cross

The Fox Fire Ring: Chapter 3: Memories of the Silver Cross

  
  
  
  
  
  


P.O.V

Terry

Gotham City

  
  


I woke up to a throbbing headache. I never remembered having a migraine this bad before. Come to think of it, I didn't even remember where I was or why. I moved my head to get a look around, but regretted it, because it just caused my head to throb even more. Suddenly there was the feeling of a cool, damp cloth on my forehead, and managed to turn just enough to see Emily, worrying and fretting over me. Then I blacked out again....

  
  


...

P.O.V.

Emily

Gotham City

  
  


A few hours later Terry woke up. He moaned and held his head. I could tell he had the worst migraine in the history of forever. Not that I didn't think he would. Drinking, or eating, whichever it was, what he did was like posting a billboard saying "Kill me! Kill me please!" The idiot.......I just hoped he was ok......

After I brought him back, Bruce took a blood sample and had the computer scan it. He had heavy doses of poisons I hadn't even heard of. Ink, turpentine, anti freeze, rat poison, and Deadly Nightshade root, to name a few. Why would Terry eat, or drink, or whatever, something like that? It didn't make sense. I mean, I know teenagers have there dark days cause I'm one of them, but no way would MY cousin do something like this!

"Welcome back, scuz ball," I said. Sure that was harsh, but there was something Terry wasn't telling me, and I was mad. "Something you wanna share with us?"

"Wha?" he said.

"Like, for instance, why you tried to kill yourself?" I was as cold as stone, but my heart was secretly praising God that Bruce had some all purpose antidote, and that Terry got it in time.

"What do you mean? I wouldn't poison myself," he replied.

"That's not what the blood test said," remarked a solemn Bruce.

"What are your guys talking about?"

"You blacked out on me moaning something about Nightshade." I replied. Terry's eyes went wide with fear. I'd never seen him scared before and it worried me. "What, did I say the secret word?"

"Where is she?" asked Terry.

"Who?" said Bruce.

"Nightshade! Where is she?"

"I hate to break it to you, but Deadly Nightshade is a plant, not a person," I said

"She's deadly all right, but she's a person. Or at least, she looks like one."

"What's going on Terry?" I was really starting to not like the way this conversation was going.

"A few nights ago I met this lady in the park...."

"What were you doing in the park?" I asked.

"It's complicated," he responded. "Any way, she gave me this black juice stuff, and told me to drink it. She said if I did I'd be happy. I guess she like, hypnotized me or something, cause I drank it. But I spit it out again."

"That would explain why your not dead," said Bruce.

"But those other people drank it too!" I exclaimed. "They could be dying!"

"So how are we gonna stop her?" asked Terry. 

"I got a good look at her. She wears a necklace that glows when she's about to do something. And she used to wear a ring. A copper ring."

"Used to?" asked Bruce. I dug the fox ring out of my pocket and showed them.

"There's something familiar about it," I said. 

"Looks like an ordinary ring to me," said Bruce.

"We'll see," I said, then stretched and yawned. "I'm exhausted," I said. "I'm heading to bed. I put the ring back in my pocket and went up stairs.

I stumbled onto the soft bed and grabbed a pillow. I smashed it against my face with a deep sigh. Bed. The word never sounded closer to heaven. I felt something poke my side, and realized I still had the ring in my pocket. I dug it out and looked at it. The berry emblem was obviously pure silver. I could tell.

.....Emblem...... Something struck me about that word. Something I was supposed to remember. All of a suddenly I knew exactly! The book pages!

"Knock knock." It was Terry, rapping at my bedroom door. 

"Yo," I said. He opened the door and smiled. I could tell it took all the effort he had, because he looked wiped. 

"Heading home now. See ya," he said.

"You sure your going to be all right McGinnis?"

"I'll be fine. Really," I gave him a skeptical look and sighed.

"Fine, but call me on my cell if you need me."

"I will. Night," he said, and left.

"Night," I said to my closed door, then whispered, "Terry, be careful....." Then my brain reactivated itself and I remembered what I was suppose to be looking at. I flung my hands into my book bag and dug out the five pages and read aloud to myself.

"Amethyst stones are recognizable by their deep purple with occasional white veins. These stones have been used for centuries to strengthen spells or even people. So that's why she was handing them out!" I said. I skip read the rest and turned to the next page. The ring! The ring I had looked exactly like the picture on the page!

"The Fox Fire Ring is one of five magic rings. Each are recognizable by the image of a fox. There are five basic types, starting from lowest, to greatest. Fire, ice, silver, gold, and the universe ring. If you try to forge a ring then a piece of silver from a Fox Universe ring must be used. No matter what you do, it will always become a fox fire ring. Only by hard training can the ring advance, along with it's owner, to the next stage.

Only people with certain souls can use a ring, and it's full potential can only be used for good," and then it listed some different spells or whatever for certain effects. Without knowing what I was doing, I began memorizing them and how to use the ring. Then I slipped it on to my finger and whispered an incantation and a glove appeared over the hand the ring was on. It was a bright rusty copper color and a small was bursting from it!

"Ahh! Uumm...umm...Fox Fire Ring off!" I cried out, in shock. And the glove disappeared and so did the flame. "Whoa!" I decided I better read more about this thing.

"Even those with the right souls can't always harness the power, and it can destroy them, and up to a mile around them.

The ring can become sort of a part of a person. It can help a person read minds, figure out complex problems, and create a protective shield around the person, if endangered, as well as whatever other powers it possess.

The ring can only have it's power drawn out by a silver emblem on the ringlet connected to it." That explained Nightshades silver berry. I took the berry off the ringlet and tossed it out the window. I dug in my book bag for something else, and finally found it.

It was a bible. I got it when I was little, and in it was a pocket that used to hold two tiny silver crosses. I took the only one in there and slid it onto the ring's ringlet. It glowed for a moment, but then returned to normal. I put the rind down and held the bible for a minute.....Thinking back......

  
  


When I was little my parents took me to church every so often, but stopped taking me after the pastor said something political that my dad didn't agree with. When I was there once, I won a prize. A red bible, and in it, it had a pocket with two silver crosses in it. After I was awarded my bible, the pastor knelt down next to me and started to talk to me.

"Jesus died on a cross so you would live. Whenever you look at that bible and these crosses, think about that. Ok?" he asked. I nodded and he patted me on the shoulder.

  
  


After we left Gotham when I was twelve I dug out that old bible and remembered what the pastor had said. I took the bible into the park and began to read it. 

While sitting on a park bench, reading, I saw one of those bible school groups walking in the park. One little girl stood out to me because she was different than the rest. All the others had on well fitting cloths, were clean, and kind of dressy. Like their parents were proving they were good christians or something. But that little girl had only a colorful piece of string for a necklace, was dirty, and her cloths didn't quite fit. 

I got up, and walked over to the group. "Excuses me a minute," I said to the councilor and bent down next to the little girl. I took out one of the crosses, asked for her string necklace, hooked on the cross, and tied it back around the girls neck. She looked at me like I'd just awarded her a million dollars. "Jesus died on a cross so you would live. Whenever you look at that cross, think about that. Ok?" I asked her. She nodded and I smiled, and walked back towards home.....

  
  


I smiled to my self, thinking of that. I opened the bible, and began reading it.......

  
  
  
  


To Be Continued...

  
  



	4. Unmasking the Bats

The Fox Fire Ring: Chapter Four: Unmasking the Bats

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


P.O.V

Emily

Wayne Manor

  
  


Sleep. Something I hadn't enjoyed in what seemed like years. I was so glad it was summer, which meant I might not get hassled by Bruce or Terry to get up, go to school, go on patrol, etc. I sure hoped Terry was alright.....

I stretched and yawned, and all of a sudden heard a zinging sound by my ear. I went absolutely pale when I saw a long knife, wedged into the wall, a note attached to it.

"Breath, breath. Do not panic," I reminded myself, because I could heard the reassuring sound of my heart beating, which meant I wasn't dead. I pulled the note off the knife, made a little pile of dust from a table, carefully scooped it up and sprinkled it along the knife, trying to see if the bimbo was stupid enough to use it's bare hands to throw it. 

No prints. Nothing. Strange. Could be they wore gloves, but then....Oh well. It wasn't important, and I began to read the note.

"Dear Batty," I read. I didn't appreciate the pun, but what I really didn't like was the fact that it implied they knew who I was......Oh boy.....

"Seeing as I know who you are Mackenzie, you might like to talk to me. Don't worry. I won't broadcast you little identity. That's far too easy for me....No, I've got different plans for ruining your life. Meet me by the docks by Midnight." It wasn't signed. Whoever it was wasn't playing around. I just prayed they had been aiming for my head, because if they had, it meant they weren't that good of a shot. And if they hadn't......well......

I raced down stairs, into the cave, and grabbed the mask from the case. Bruce was still up, typing on the computer, and looked at me in shock.

"What are you doing up? What's the rush."

"It's complicated," I replied. "I'm taking the plane. I'll be back....I hope...."

"Emily?"

"Bye Bruce," I said and was off.

  
  


I hid the plane in an alley, a few blocks from the docks. It was raining slightly and I finally made it to the docks. I stood in the shadows, not knowing why I even decided to come. 

Then she appeared. Out of what seemed to me nowhere. I stepped out so she could see me, and then realized I still had the ring on! Without knowing what I was doing, I slipped my hand behind my back. Why was I afraid of her seeing it?

"Hello Emily," she said.

Bruce logs every fight he or Terry has ever had in the computer, and just for some study time, I've read em. All of Terry's anyway. I'm still working on Bruce's. The point being I stumbled into Terry's fight with the Joker, and saw a big mistake he made. Never, EVER admit to a super villain, or anyone for that matter who you really are. Sooo....

"That's not my name. It's batgirl," I replied.

"Then why are you here? I sent the note to a Ms. Emily Mackenzie," she retorted.

"She went to the police with it, only I found her first." Yeah, I thought. That sounds believable. She smirked.

"Right......" she said. "I'm sure you've been curious as to why I can just appear out of nowhere, aren't you?"

Truth be told I was, but I wasn't going to tell her that. "Not really," I said.

"Well, I'll tell you anyway," and she stepped really close to me and leaned in to whisper into me ear.

  
  


...

  
  


A wave of cold pressure engulfed Emily. It slid down her neck, and made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. Now she knew why Terry went so pale when she mentioned Nightshade's name.

"I'm not from here," she said. Instantly dozens of witty, yet purposely annoying comments filled Emily's mind, but could choke out none of them. Instead she was struggling to keep her heart beat steady, as well as her breathing.

"I come from your worst nightmares," she said. Emily could well believe it. But sense began to regain her and Emily took a step back, a batarang in hand.

"What do you want?" she questioned, pretending to be brave.

"A couple of things," she replied. "But for starters, my ring."

"What ring?"

"The one you stole from me!"

"I don't have it with me," she lied.

"Your lying," she yelled.

"I'm not a criminal like you!" she yelled back.

"Believe me Ms. Mackenzie, I can hurt you and McGinnis. Badly. So if you play along, I might be nice," she growled.

"Leave Terry alone," she said.

"Give me my ring!"

"You can't even use it to it's full potential!"

"You little witch!" she screamed, and dagger in hand, charged for Batgirl. Emily suddenly felt herself pull her hands in front of her and a rusty, coppery color beam shot forth from the ring. The beam expanded, until it encircled Emily like a transparent shield. 

Nightshade was tossed roughly back to the ground and Emily panted in fear, exhaustion and amazement.

"I can use the ring," she whispered to herself.

"No," said Nightshade. "The ring is protecting you because your heart and soul are good. Trying to draw out the rings power would destroy you. Your to weak."

"You can't use it! Emily shouted. She knew she was wrong. The flame had come from her hand. The ring was hers.

"I don't need it," she said, and her amulet began glowing. "This is not over," she said. "We will meet again," and she was gone. 

Emily stood there for a few minutes. "Withdraw shield," she said, and the ring did as told. Was the book right? Was it becoming apart of her? When Nightshade attacked her, she had silently thought "If I can control this ring, then give me a shield," and that's what happened. Was Nightshade right, or could she control the Fox Fire Ring? In any event, she went off to get the batplane and go home. But the questions still plagued her.....

  
  
  
  


To Be Continued....


	5. I Won't Give Up So Easily

The Fox Fire Ring: Chapter Five: No Matter the Cost

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


P.O.V.

Emily

Wayne Manor

I looked at my watch as I came into the cave. 4:00 AM. "Bruce?" I called out into the silent, utter darkness. Nothing. I shrugged it off, thinking he had gone to bed. I put the batgirl suit in it's case and sat down at the computer, looking over everything I knew about Nightshade, but the realization that I knew next to nothing about her, hit me hard. "I can't do this anymore," I whispered to no one. It was wearing me down. How did Bruce do it? How did Terry? I wasn't like them. I gave up too easily, because I could feel myself breaking. But if anything ever happened while I was out there......The thought sent me into shivers, and I fought back just breaking down and crying. I couldn't do this anymore.....

I gave a small sob and leaned on to the keyboard.....Wait a minute?! Bruce rarely sleeps, and he wouldn't bother going to bed at 4:00 just to get two hours of sleep!.....Oh my God.......

I grabbed my book bag and frantically searched for my cell phone. I dialed the McGinnis' apartment number and waited.

"Hello?" said a groggy sounding Mary McGinnis

"Hi Aunt Mary. It's me Emily. Is Terry there?" I asked, trying to remain calm. Or at least sound like I was.

"No, I assumed he was with you. Is there a problem?" Fear was gripping her voice, and I could hardly deal with my fear, so I had to think of something. Fast.

"No, um, he just left, and he left his backpack here. I figured if he was there, Id just drive over and give it to him, but he's not so I'll wait until morning. Ok, bye," I said and hung up. 

"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God," my mind repeated over and over. Think Mackenzie! Think! Ter's cell! Yeah! 

I dialed the number, but no one answered. I was panicking now. Nightshade really did know who I was! Why didn't I just give her the ring! I had burst into tears now, and didn't know what to do!

Suddenly I heard this cackling from behind me, but the only thing behind me was the computer. I turned and to my horror saw Nightshade, with over a hundred people surrounding her.

"Hello Emily. If your watching this it means that I have taken your little friends along with half the city's population and will now proceed to kill them. Trying to stop me is futile, but I need a good laugh so here's my location." A map popped onto the screen. It was an old abandoned warehouse. My fist clenched as my angry, tear stained face looked at the video note. Nightshade couldn't get away with this one....

  
  


"BAM! BAM! BAM!" and finally the door broke down. "NIGHTSHADE!" I yelled into the dark utter bleakness. I gasped as I saw at least 10 dead bodies. Oh God no.....

  
  


...

  
  


P.O.V

Bruce

Warehouse

I put a hand to my head, and felt a large lump where I was hit over the head. I slowly came to, my vision clearing. It was some sort of room. Dark, barren, but not empty. Terry was on the ground next to me. I shook him gently and he woke up, moaning.

"Bruce? Where are we?" he asked. I didn't answer. I didn't know, but I wasn't going to tell him that. I was Bruce Wayne. The former Dark Knight. I was supposed to know everything. I didn't of corse, but still. No need to let Terry know that.

There she was. Laughing like a maniac. She probably was a maniac, but I still had experience with maniacs, and their tougher than you think.

"Well hello dark night," said Nightshade. "Or should I say former dark night?" 

I began to struggle to get up, getting some help from the cane. I then fell to my knees as a large pounding rung in my concussion sensitive ears. I could tell Terry was feeling it to, as well as the other people, because they held their ears and moaned.

Suddenly the door broke down, and a very ticked of Batgirl was standing at it. Thank God she was here.....

"NIGHTSHADE!" she yelled. She then saw the 10, now lifeless bodies I had failed to notice before. On no......

  
  


...

  
  
  
  


P.O.V

Emily

Warehouse

I managed to keep in tears. How could she!? She wasn't human, I was certain of that now! She was a monster! 

I saw Bruce and Terry, and ran over to them quick as I could, but before I could reach them, a blinding flash surrounded them and they were gone!

"BRUCE!? TERRY!?" I screamed. Nightshade just laughed......

"And thus ends the glorious legend of the Gotham Knight......"

  
  


...

  
  
  
  


P.O.V

Terry

Warehouse

I was so glad to see Bruce! Especially alive. And seeing Emily burst through the door mad as heck wasn't bad either. Then the flash surrounded us, and I lost consciousness.......

  
  


"Who are you?"

"You killed my father"

"Do you have any idea how little that narrows it down?!"

  
  
  
  


"Why did he open the door mom? He would have looked first! We could have fought them off, me and dad! I was such a jerk!"

  
  


"You're my best friend for twelve years and then you just move away. Then you never talk to me. At least at the first family reunion after you moved, you acted like I was still your cousin and important to you! Then you come here and decide to act all chummy and then you have to be my partner and all that crud! Why can't you just leave me alone! Not like you care any way!" 

"Is that what you think?! That I don't care?! The day I moved was the day I died on the inside! If I didn't care about you then I wouldn't be vacationing in Gotham City and I definitely wouldn't be risking my butt out here!"

"You sure have a funny way of showing it......"

  
  


"......he has no wife, no relations. He can't live by himself anymore. Who's going to take care of him?"

"Me. I could."

"Awful young, aren't you?"

"Awful slimy aren't you?"

"Careful. The courts are very strict about slander."

"Really? Let's see how they handle assault!"

  
  


"The only rat here is Terry McGinnis....."

  
  
  
  


...

  
  
  
  


P.O.V.

Emily

Suddenly, just after the flash, Terry cam crashing down to the floor. "TERRY?!" I screamed and ran to him. I felt his pules....There was none. He was cold.........

"No God! Don't take Terry away from me!" Now fear was really getting to me. What about Bruce?

  
  


...

  
  


P.O.V.

Bruce

All I saw was Emily, and heard her screaming, and that was just before blacking out......

  
  


"Bruce, I like you, really, but as a friend....."

"I understand."

"Now that this nasty business of Ms. Kyle's has been cleared up, I'm hoping you two will get back together."

"I doubt it. I'm not so sure it's been cleared up, and besides. She loves Batman."

  
  


"You once taught me never to give up. Now if you don't do something, I will!"

  
  


"Joker....I should have known you'd be in on this."

"Really? I must be falling into a rut"

  
  


".....but you don't need to prove yourself. You're a valued member of this team and-'

"I'm taking the javelin. Unless you want to try and stop me."

"No."

"Goodbye detective."

"Next time I'll fax my intentions....."

  
  


"My face is on a t-shirt for crying out loud!"

  
  


".....but in reality your just a scared little boy in a play suit, crying for mommy and daddy. It'd be funny if it weren't so pathetic!......Ah, what the heck, I'll laugh any way!"

  
  


...

  
  


P.O.V.

Emily

Moments after Terry hit the floor, he was followed by Bruce. Again, dead cold. I couldn't help it. I was sobbing now. Everything I'd ever cared about was gone now, and I didn't know how to get it back......I couldn't control the hyperventilation attack I was having, but soon, a blinding white flash engulfed me as well, but I didn't black out.

  
  


"You're my best friend for twelve years and then you just move away. Then you never talk to me. At least at the first family reunion after you moved, you acted like I was still your cousin and important to you! Then you come here and decide to act all chummy and then you have to be my partner and all that crud! Why can't you just leave me alone! Not like you care any way!" 

"Is that what you think?! That I don't care?! The day I moved was the day I died on the inside! If I didn't care about you then I wouldn't be vacationing in Gotham City and I definitely wouldn't be risking my butt out here!"

"You sure have a funny way of showing it......"

  
  


"Dance? I don't really ballroom dance."

"He's got two left feet."

"I do not!"

"Liar."

"I don't have two left feet."

"Yes you do! Remember in third grade when we took those dance lessons and you were my partner? My feet were under ice for days!"

"That was hard dancing though!"

"You can't dance."

"You wanna bet?"

"Your on!"

  
  


"So what exactly does this Blight guy look like?"

"Know what a skeleton looks like?"

"Yeah."

"Think that only lime green and radioactive"

"Oh, I'm gonna have pleasant dreams about this, I'm sure"

  
  


I was in a dark room, if you can call it a room. It was really just black. I couldn't see a thing, but I knew there was some sort of floor, cause I hadn't fallen downward forever yet. 

Suddenly a soft light hit a little stand with a goblet. Something inside me said "Drink it! Drink it!" While something else said "No! Don't be and idiot!"

The first thing won out.

I walked over to the tray and was about to put it to my lips when something rang out inside of me.

"Jesus died on a cross so you would live. Whenever you look at that bible and these crosses, think about that. Ok?"

Live.......Jesus had given something to me....Now it was my time to return the favor.....The flash surrounded me again, and I was back in the warehouse.

Nightshade gasped, but held her composer.

"You know, the old one was a bit of a challenge, but the young one was very easy. Of course, I broke him down first."

"No...." I whispered. In the face of Nightshade, my new found strength was leaving me quickly. She just cackled.

"Did you actually expect to win?! Simple minded mortal! I am Nightshade! I pray on you deepest fears, hates, sorrows, sadness, loss, loneliness, remorse, guilt, revenge. You name it, I can turn it into a weakness!" and she cackled again. 

I had fallen to my knees. I really was a fool! I couldn't beat this! Not with her sensing everything in me!

"Your emotions make you weak! That's the same for all you mortals!"

  
  


".....Fears, hates, sorrows, sadness, loss, loneliness, remorse, guilt, revenge."

  
  


It was ringing through me. I couldn't escape it........Fears? Wait a minute!

  
  


...

  
  


Emily stood up again. "NIGHTSHADE!" she yelled. "You forgot one thing!" and she through a punch towards her. 

"What about hope? Love? Sacrifice, happiness, family, truth, and don't forget faith! You name it, it's my strength!"

Nightshade looked like a deer in car headlights, and Emily's fist connected with her jaw. But the effort had made her extremely tiered. She wouldn't be able to keep this up for long. But then it came to her....There was only one thing to do.

She held her fist up above her head, the Fox Fire Ring on it glowing brightly. "FOX FIRE RING!" she called out.

"No you fool! You can't control it's power! You'll doom us all!" cried Nightshade.

"But is could save Terry. The risk's worth taking! ACTIVATE!"

Suddenly, from the ring, beams of coppery light came shooting out of it. They began to surround Emily, and wrap about her. Soon, covering the Batgirl suit, was a new one.

It was a rusty coppery color, with silver gloves an boots, rust tinted goggles, covering her eyes, yet allowing her to see, and finally, a silver fox head where the blue bat symbol had once been.

"I am the Fox!" she cried and shot at Nightshade, delivering a hard punch to the stomach. "I spread light through the shadows, and blaze the ones who try and destroy the light!" 

While Nightshade tried to form some attack of her own, Fox already had one.

"Fox Inferno!" she cried, and from her gloved hands, cords of fire sprung out and hit Nightshade dead on. "Final Blaze!" she sang out again, and Nightshade gave one last feeble moan....

  
  


...

  
  


P.O.V

Bruce

  
  


"....But why kill him father? He's not food. he's not my enemy."

"He's right....I'm not his enemy."

  
  


"...I was thinking we meant more to each other than this. Beyond saving each other and dealing with the costume villains....."

  
  


"Bruce Wayne?"

"You peeked."

  
  


Slowly I found myself waking up and saw Emily's face bending over me. But she wasn't in the Batgirl suit. I was trying to figure out what happened, but I took a good guess when I saw a flaming blackish puddle.

"So that ring's really something huh?" 

I saw the worry melt from her face as it was replaced by relief. Tears were streaming down her cheeks and she gave a sob and put her arms around my neck, in a gentle embrace.

"I thought you were dead!" she sobbed, and helped me up. She then knelt down, and put her ring on Terry's heart.....

  
  


...

  
  


P.O.V

Terry

  
  


"Terry, you once told me Batman's the only thing that makes you worth while. But in reality, you're the only thing that makes Batman worth while, and don't you ever believe differently ....."

  
  


"....Better late then never right?"

"Shut up McGinnins......Just shut up......"

  
  


"I warn you. I can be a difficult task master, excepting nothing but the best from all who work for me."

"I think I can handle it."

"Very well then. Welcome to my world."

  
  


"Which time are you wearing the mask and which is real! When it comes right down to it, which life are you willing to give up!"

  
  


I felt this undescribable warmth go through my chest. It was then that I started to come to, and saw the goggled face of my cousin leaning over me. She was crying.

"Emily," I said. "Why are you crying?" It was the same thing I had said when I had come back from the dead in that hospital. She was smiling, yet sobbing at the same time as she helped me up. I didn't bother asking what happened to the former Batgirl, figuring I'd get filled in on the details later.

"Shut up McGinnis! Your stupid nightmare lady's gone, It's 5:00 AM, and I have never been so tired in my entire life!"

  
  


The End

(As in not to be continued:))

  
  
  
  
  
  


So what did you guys think? Truthfully, I think it sucked, but hey *shrugs* it got the point across. It explains some things from five years running and clarify's the fact that there isn't gonna be another batgirl in the rest of these stories. So basically it was only here to set the stage for the rest of my terrible stories:)

  
  



End file.
